U.S. patent number 7,645,083 [Application Number 11/314,783] was granted by the patent office on 2010-01-12 for mechanical pencil.
This patent grant is currently assigned to BISS Product Development LLC. Invention is credited to James M. Burry, Robert E. Irelan, Daniel R. Seymour, Dean A. Snyder.
United States Patent |
7,645,083 |
Burry , et al. |
January 12, 2010 |
Mechanical pencil
Abstract
The instant invention is a mechanical pencil. The pencil
includes a body having a cavity and a lead holding mechanism
located in the cavity. The lead holding mechanism includes a pair
of arms joined together by a bridge. Each arm terminates with a
pair of fingers. The fingers close together when the lead holding
mechanism is recessed into the cavity. The fingers open when the
lead holding mechanism is advanced out of the cavity.
Inventors: |
Burry; James M. (Troutman,
NC), Seymour; Daniel R. (Mooresville, NC), Irelan; Robert
E. (Austin, TX), Snyder; Dean A. (Austin, TX) |
Assignee: |
BISS Product Development LLC
(Mooresville, NC)
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Family
ID: |
37694460 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/314,783 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070025800 A1 |
Feb 1, 2007 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60702388 |
Jul 26, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
401/93; 401/94;
401/92; 401/55 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B43K
23/008 (20130101); B43K 21/006 (20130101); B43K
21/22 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B43K
21/22 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;401/55,65-67,86,92-94,88 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Walczak; David J
Assistant Examiner: Gumbs; Keegan
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hammer & Associates, P.C.
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional
patent application Ser. No. 60/702,388 filed Jul. 26, 2005.
Claims
We claim:
1. A mechanical pencil comprising: a body having a cavity, and a
lead holding mechanism located in said cavity, said lead holding
mechanism comprising: a pair of arms; each arm terminating with a
pair of fingers; said fingers being at an acute angle with a line
defined by said arm; said pair of arms being joined together by a
bridge approximate to one of their ends and a first and second
clamp surface at the other end; said first clamp surface joining
together the top finger of one of said arms with the top finger of
the other said arm; and said second clamp surface joining together
the bottom finger of one of said arms with the bottom finger of the
other said arm; said fingers closing together said clamp surfaces
when said lead holding mechanism being recessed into said cavity
and said fingers opening said clamp surfaces when said lead holding
mechanism being advanced out of said cavity.
2. The pencil of claim 1 further comprising: a spring engaging said
lead holding mechanism for moving said mechanism from the advanced
position to the recessed position.
3. The pencil of claim 2 further comprising a cap, said cap
engaging said lead holding mechanism and said spring, and said cap
being slidably mounted on said body.
4. The pencil of claim 3 wherein said cap being in a first position
whereby said lead holding mechanism being in the recessed position
and movable to a second position whereby said mechanism being in
the advanced position.
5. The pencil of claim 2 further comprising a spring rest located
within said cavity, said spring sitting on said rest.
6. The pencil of claim 1 wherein said arms of said lead holding
mechanism consist of a pair of parallel spaced apart arms.
7. The pencil of claim 1 wherein one of said clamp surfaces
comprises at least one tooth.
8. The pencil of claim 1 wherein said body and said lead holding
mechanism being made of a synthetic material.
9. The pencil of claim 8 wherein said synthetic material being a
thermoplastic material.
10. A kit comprising: a mechanical pencil comprising: a body having
a cavity, and a lead holding mechanism located in said cavity, said
lead holding mechanism comprising: a pair of arms; each arm
terminating with a pair of fingers; said fingers being at an acute
angle with a line defined by said arm; said pair of arms being
joined together by a bridge approximate to one of their ends and a
first and second clamp surface at the other end; a first clamp
surface joining together the top finger of one of said arms with
the top finger of the other said arm; and a second clamp surface
joining together the bottom finger of one of said arms with the
bottom finger of the other said arm; said fingers closing together
said clamp surfaces when said lead holding mechanism being recessed
into said cavity and said fingers opening said clamp surfaces when
said lead holding mechanism being advanced out of said cavity; and
a plurality of lead.
11. The pencil of claim 1 further comprising: an elongated lead
material having a generally rectangular cross section.
12. The pencil of claim 1 further comprising: an elongated lead
material having a generally rectangular cross section and having a
surface with a plurality of grooves disposed generally
perpendicuuiar to a longitudinal axis of said lead material.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a mechanical pencil.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mechanical pencils are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.
253,803; 2,032,983; 2,509,849; 2,801,613; 4,856,693; 5,044,805;
5,362,166; 5,598,604; 6,793,429; and U.S. Publication No.
2004/0047669. These mechanical pencils are, however, complex and
difficult to assemble.
There is a need for a mechanical pencil that is easily assembled
and has few components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is a mechanical pencil. The pencil includes a
body having a cavity and a lead holding mechanism located in the
cavity. The lead holding mechanism includes a pair of arms joined
together by a bridge. Each arm terminates with a pair of fingers.
The fingers close together when the lead holding mechanism is
recessed into the cavity. The fingers open when the lead holding
mechanism is advanced out of the cavity.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in
the drawings a form that is presently preferred; it being
understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the
precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are detailed views of the embodiment shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with
the lead holding mechanism recessed within the body.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with
the lead holding mechanism advanced out of the body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like
elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an embodiment of the mechanical
pencil 10. Mechanical pencil 10 is preferably a carpenter's pencil,
but is not so limited.
Pencil 10 generally comprises a body 11 having a first body
component 12 and a second body component 14 which when joined
together define a cavity 13 (best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5). A lead
holding mechanism 20 (best seen in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5) is located
within cavity 13. A cap 16 is located at one end of body 11. Cap 16
optionally may include a clip 18. Body 11 optionally may include
grip surfaces 24 as a part of body components 12 and 14. Body
components 12 and 14 and cap 16 may be made of a rigid
thermoplastic, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). Body
components 12 and 14 are joined together, for example, by welding
(thermal or ultrasonic), gluing, or mechanically.
Referring to FIG. 2, lead holding mechanism 20 is seen in greater
detail. Lead holding mechanism 20 generally comprises a pair of
arms 30 and 32. Arms 30 and 32. generally parallel to one another
and spaced apart. A bridge 34 joins arms 30 and 32. Bridge 34 may
be located off the center of arms 30 and 32. Each arm 30 and 32
terminates with a pair of fingers 36/38 and 40/42. Fingers 36/38
are associated with arm 32. Fingers 40/42 are associated with arm
30. The fingers may be set at an acute angle to a line defined by
their associated arms (as best seen in figures 2 and 5). The
fingers may be integrally molded to arms and may be flexible, as
will be more fully explained below. Catch 54 and stop 52 may be
located on each arm 30 and 32 at the end of the arms opposite the
fingers 36/38 and 40/42. Catch 54 and stop 52 may be adapted to
engage cap 16 via slots (not shown) in cap 16 and to fasten lead
holding mechanism 20 to cap 16, for reasons more fully explained
below. Lead holding mechanism 20 may be made of a thermoplastic
material that is flexible, such as polypropylene.
A spring 26 may be located within cavity 13. A spring rest 28 is
formed within cavity 13 and is optionally an integrally molded part
of body components 12 and 14. One end of spring 26 may sit on
spring rest 28 and the other end may engage cap 16.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, clamp surfaces 44 and 46 are seen in
greater detail. Clamp surface 44 optionally joins together fingers
38 and 40. Clamp surface 44, in another embodiment (not shown), may
be divided (e.g., in half between arms 30, 32), so that fingers 38
and 40 are not joined. Clamp surface 44 generally has an inverted
`U` shaped cross section. The `U` may be sized to receive and to
hold, when clamp surfaces 44 and 46 are closed, a lead 22. Clamp
surface 46 optionally joins fingers 36 and 42. Clamp surface 46, in
another embodiment (not shown), may be divided (e.g., in half
between arms 30, 32), so that fingers 38 and 40 are not joined.
Clamp surface 46 has a generally planar surface, which when closed
mates with the open side of clamp surface 44. Optionally, at least
one tooth 48 may be located on the planar surface of clamp surface
46. The use of this tooth 48 will be discussed in greater detail
below.
Again referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, lead 22 is shown in greater
detail. Lead 22 has a generally rectangular cross section.
Optionally, corners of lead 22 may be rounded or beveled. One
surface 50 of lead 22 has a plurality of grooves therein. The
grooves are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
lead 22. The grooves are adapted to engaged the teeth 48 of clamp
surface 46. When the grooves engage the teeth 48 and the clamp
surfaces 44 and 46 are closed, the lead 22 is held in place between
the clamp surfaces 44 and 46. Lead 22 may be made of any lead,
chalk, crayon, or grease material as is well known in the art. Lead
22 in one embodiment may be a mixture of graphite and clay.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation of pencil 10 will be
discussed. In FIG. 4, pencil 10 is shown with the lead holding
mechanism 20 recessed within cavity 13. Note that the clamp
surfaces 44 and 46 are closed which is caused by flexible fingers
36/38 and 40/42 being depressed by the inner walls of body
components 12 and 14, as the holding mechanism is drawn into cavity
13. In the closed position, lead 22 is held firmly in place.
Additionally, cap 16 is at its furthermost point of travel away
from body 11 and spring 26 is relatively relaxed (i.e., the spring
may be under a slight compressive load). In FIG. 5, cap 16 is
depressed onto body 11 (Note arrow A), spring 26 is compressed,
lead holding mechanism 20 is advanced out of cavity 13, and fingers
36/38 and 40/42 are allowed to open. In the opened position, lead
22 may be inserted into pencil 10 or advanced in or out of pencil
10. When cap 16 is released (Note arrow B), spring 26 returns to
its relatively relaxed position and draws lead holding mechanism 20
into cavity 13 and fingers 36/38 and 40/42 close.
The present invention may be embodied in other forms without
departing from the spirit and the essential attributes thereof,
and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims,
rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicated the scope
of the invention.
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